
Class _i4^1/i^J:L 
Book - ^fS- „ 
Copyright^? 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSITS 



Auction Bridge 



BY 



A. R. METCALFE, 

Author of ''Bridge That Wins'*^ 



CHICAGO 

HARRY H. DE CLERQUE & CO. 

PUBLISHERS 



^\V- 



A^'.^ 



COPYRIGHT, 1911, 

BY 
A. R. METCALFE. 



(g:CI.A300l6e5 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



The most important requisite in auction 
bridge is good partnership work in bidding. 

Nearly every bridge player imagines he 
easily may learn the game by supplementing 
his knowledge of bridge with a few pointers 
about bidding in the new game. By degrees 
it dawns upon him he is learning an entirely 
different game, in which the bidding only re- 
motely resembles the declarations in the game 
of bridge. 

The most necessary item in the equipment 
of an auction player is reliability. One who is 
found to have always what his bids proclaim 
him to have will be in great demand as a part- 
ner. 

Considerable confusion now exists among 
auction bridge players, arising from the fact 
that various writers have given different 
meanings to the same bid. 

It was even so in bridge, it was even worse 
in whist, but the natural conventions ulti- 
mately prevail and cannot be denied. That 
this will happen in auction bridge no thought- 
ful person may doubt. 

The natural conventions are easiest to learn, 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



easiest to remember, easiest to play and adapt 
themselves naturally to all deals. 

As the final bid is very rarely less than 13, 
bids of less than 12 should be regarded as 
purely informatory, v^hile a bid of 12 or more 
is always an attempt to secure the play. 

It is of the utmost importance that the in- 
formatory bids should be correct in all cases. 
A bid of tv^o spades, for instance, which is not 
warranted by the cards in hand, is far more 
liable to cause a heavy loss in the honor col- 
umn than is a no-trump bid from insufficient 
strength. 

A bid of two spades or two' clubs is useful 
not alone in helping the partner to a no-trump 
declaration; it helps the partner to determine 
how high he may bid in hearts or diamonds, 
or to decide whether to double an adversary's 
bid, and, finally, directs a lead from the part- 
ner in case of an adverse no-trump declara- 
tion. 

The high bids will continue to be largely a 
matter of individual judgment, but when 
there is a loss of 400 or more in a single deal 
it indicates absence of judgment in some indi- 
vidual. Losses of 50 or 100 and on rare occa- 
sions even 200, may result from sound bid- 
ding, but a loss of 300 should be almost an 
impossibility. Players who bid merely be- 
cause they wish to play the deals instead of 
allowing their opponents to do so should con- 
fine themselves to nursery games. 

The dealer in auction bridge never should 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



make an original bid of two in any suit with- 
out the ace or king of the suit in which the 
declaration is made. This restriction also ap- 
plies to the second player when the first has 
made a bid of one spade, but, of course, ceases 
when the bidder is compelled to bid more 
than one in a suit in order to raise a previous 
bid. 

This convention is a natural one, as there 
must be some, minimum strength necessary 
for an original declaration of one in any suit 
except spades, and naturally a greater muii- 
mum necessary for an original bid of two. 
Nor should players using the convention ever 
disregard it, as the consequences are apt to be 
terrific. 

Bidding has five distinct objects, as fol- 
lows : 

1. To secure the play of the deal. 

2. To give information to your partner in 
regard to the strength of your hand. 

3. To direct your partner's lead. 

4. To coax a higher bad from an adver- 
sary. 

5. To suffer a loss in the honor column to 
prevent the adversaries from securing game. 

The fourth class of bids is worthless against 
good players and in using it against the other 
kind a player must depend on his knowledge 
of his opponents. It might be described as 
putting- your neck under the ax, in the hope 
that an adversary may push you away and 
substitute his neck. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



The fifth class should not be used at all by 
beginners, and only rarely by experienced 
players. 

Nearly every game in auction bridge is won 
in a single deal. Scores of 12, 16 or 24 are 
seldom of any use and there is very little play- 
ing to the score as compared with bridge. 

There is little use therefore, in making high 
bids at hearts or diamonds when game is not 
a probability and you are almost certain to 
prevent the adversaries from securing game. 
Any score less than game does not warrant 
the risk of 100 or more in the honor column. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE BID OF ONE SPADE. 

Only the dealer may make a bid of one 
spade, and the proper inference is that a weak, 
but not necessarily a worthless hand, has been 
indicated. It should enjoin caution on the 
dealer's partner, but should not deter the latter 
from any reasonable bid. 

A bid of one spade doesi not affirm or deny 
strength in the spade suit, and may possibly 
be made when the dealer has no spade in his 
hand. 

Never bid one spade when a good no-trump 
bid is possible, as any information your oppo- 
nents may be able to convey to each other by 
bidding will weaken the effectiveness of your 
hand, if you bid no-trump on the second round. 

Bid one spade w)hen holding a very long, but 
weak suit of diamo-nds or hearts. Examples : 
diamonds, J, 9, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 ; spades, none; 
hearts, 4; clubs, J, 9, 7, 3. Hearts, Q, 10 9, 7, 
4, 3, 2; spades, Q, 10, 4, 2; diamonds, 10; 
clubs, 7. 

An original bid of one spade, followed by a 
bid of two or three hearts or diamonds on the 
second round, must indicate to your partner 
a long suit w/hich would not assist a no-trump 
declaration, as a player would certainly bid 
upon the suit the first time were it not defi- 
cient in high-card strength. 

Bid one spade when holding two good red 



8 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



suits of nearly equal strength. By waiting, it 
is usually possible to ascertain which one your 
partner can better support, and sometimes a 
bid of this character leads to excellent results 
above the line. Guessing the wrong suit may 
make a muddle of the entire deal. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE BID OF TWO SPADES. 

The bid of two spades indicates strength in 
the spade suit, including either the ace or 
king, and strength in at least one other suit. 
Its main purpose is to show a good assisting 
hand for a no-trump declaration, but it also 
shows help for a heart or diamond'declaration. 

Fomerly this bid was used regardless of 
strength in the spade suit itself, but that bid 
is now obsolete. It is important to the part- 
ner who is considering a doubtful no-trump 
declaration not only to know that you can 
support such a declaration, but where your 
support lies. Your bid should also show which 
suit it is safe for your partner to lead in case 
the second player declares no-trump and he 
has no pronounced suit in his own hand. 

Examples of good two-spade bids : 

Spades. Hearts. Diamonds. Clubs. 

A-K-4-2; K-J-2; 10-6-3; 7-5-2; 

A-Q-10-6-5-2; 10-4; K-10-6; 8-6; 

A-K-4-2; 7-5; Q-J-5-3; 7-4-2. 

K-J-10-4; K-10-4; J-9-3; 10-8-5. 

A-J-9; K-9-8-6-2; Q-9-4; 3-2. 

K-Q-10; 7-4-2; A-K-9-3; 7-6-3. 

A-10-9-5; Q-J-6; Q-10-4-2; 9-8. 

Be very careful not to bid two spades with 

insufficient strength. From the hands which 

follow the bid should be one spade only. 

Spades. Hearts. Diamonds. Clubs. 

A-Q-8-6-3; J-7-2; Q-6; 10-5. 

K-6-4-2; 10-8-3; J-5-4; K-9-5. 

A-Q-9-5; 6-2; Q-5-3-2; 10-7-5. 



10 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE ONE CLUB BID. 

The bid of one club has acquired a greater 
degree of importance than it deserves, because 
of the various meanings given to it in different 
schools of play. Suppose the dealer to hold 
spades, 7-2; hearts, 9-6-3; clubs, K-Q-J-7-4, 
and diamonds,. 8-5-3, and many players would 
be obliged to bid one spade, because a bid of 
one club indicates a good assisting hand at no- 
trump, which the above is not. 

Suppose the dealer had bid one no-trump, the 
next two players had passed, and the fourth 
player held, spades, 7-2; hearts, K-Q-J-7-4; 
clubs, 9-6-3, and diamonds, 8-5-3, these players 
would bid two hearts to direct a lead, even 
though risking a loss of several hundred points 
to do so. 

With the first hand named it is equally im- 
portant to bid one club to direct a lead from 
your partner if second hand goes tO' no-trump. 
The bid may be made with no risk whatever 
of losing above the line, and there will never 
be a second opportunity to show the suit. Not 
to bid one club from such a holding is opposed 
to good card sense. 

The bid of one club, therefore, should in- 
dicate strength in the club suit, and little or 
nothing else. 





AUCTION : 


BRIDGE. 


11 


Some exampi( 


ss follow. 






Clubs. 


Hearts. 


Spades. 


Diamonds. 


K-J-10-8-3; 


Q-4-2; 


9-4; 


7-6-2. 


A-10-9-4-3; 


7-5; 


10-2; 


J -6-5-3. 


A-Q-J-6-3; 


8-4-2; 


5-3; 


J-6-4. 


K-10-9-5-4-2; 


Q-10-6-3; 


7; 


9-3. 


K-Q-J-5; 


7-6-4; 


10-9-3; 


Q-6-2. 


Q-J-9-7-4-3; 


6-4; 


8-5-2; 


8-4. 



The last example illustrates the minimum 
strength from which such a bid should be 
made. It may be used when the score is des- 
perate but not in all cases. A club lead against 
a no-trump declaration would not be diis- 
astrous, as a lead of some other suit might be. 
On the other hand, a bid of one club without 
ace or king of the suit is apt to encourage too 
high a bid from your partner. 

The bid of one club assists your partner to 
determine how far he may go in bidding no- 
trump, hearts or diamonds, or in doubling an 
opponent's bid. 

Never bid one club from length without high- 
card strength. Ten clubs with the knave at 
the top would not warrant a one-club bid. 



12 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE TWO CLUB BID. 

A bid of two clubs indicates strength in 
clubs and at least one other suit, or 

An established suit of clubs. 

A player should never bid two clubs unless 
he holds either ace or king- of that suit. 

A two-club bid is designed primarily to 
assist a no-trump declaration on the part of 
the bidder's partner. It also assists heart or 
diamond declarations, and the information it 
gives is useful in defensive play against any 
sort of adverse declaration. 

To any of the examples of one-club declara- 
tions except the last, place a king at the top 
of one of the other suits instead of the small 
card and you have the minimum strength 
necessary for a two-club bid. Two well- 
guarded queens will suffice if the club suit 
itself is very good. 

Never make an original bid of three or more 
in clubs. 

DO' not bid two clubs when your hand would 
justify a no-trump bid,- as there is danger of 
being left with it. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 13 



. THE ONE-DIAMOND BID. 

A player should never bid in a red suit with 
less than four trumps. A bid of one diamond 
may help your partner to a no-trump declara- 
tion, to aid you by increasing the diamond bid 
if it suits his hand, or to direct his lead. 

With only four trumps one diamond should 
not be declared unless the holding includes 
A-K, A-Q, K-Q, or three honors, one of which 
is ace or king. 

Without ace or kin^ the bidder should al- 
ways have both queen and jack and at least 
j&ve in the suit. 

When there is a choice between a bid of one 
diamond or two in a black suit it is usually 
better to make the black bid. The exceptions 
to this rule occur when you hold more than 
five diamonds, or hold five diamonds with a 
good five-card black suit. 

With a very long, but weak diamond suit, 
bid one spade and reserve your diamond bid 
for the next round. 



14 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE TWO-DIAMOND BID. 

The original bid of two diamonds indicates 
that the bidder hopes to be able to make game 
with diamonds as trumps. It should never be 
made unless the bidder has great length and 
strength. 

An original bid of two diamonds will often 
win the play where bids of three or even four 
would be quite futile on the second round. It 
prevents a bid of one heart from the second 
player, which the fourth player would support. 
It also prevents two clubs or three spades on 
the part of either adversary, which would give 
the other adversary a good no-trump bid. 

It calls for a diamond lead from your partner 
more strongly than does a one-diamond bid in 
case of an adverse no-trump bid. 

It tells your partner not to go to no-trump 
unless each of the other suits is well protected 
and it tells him you have either the ace or king 
of diamonds. 

Examples of two-diamond bids: 



Diamonds. 


Spades. 


Hearts. 


Clubs. 


K-Q-J-9-7-4-2; 


-J3; 




K-J-7-4. 


A-K-Q-9-6-3; 


Q-J-6-4-2; 


7; 


7. 


A-K-Q-J-3; 


K-Q-J-9-6; 


4; 


10-3. 


K:-Q-J-10-7-6-3; 


J-5; 


8-4; 


9-8. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 15 



THE ONE-HEART BID. 

There is very little difference between the 
rules for bidding one heart and one diamond. 
The only important exception is that when 
there is a choice between a bid of one heart 
and two in a black suit it is usually better to 
name hearts if you hold five or more in the 
suit. 

Examples of one-heart bids : 



Hearts. 


Spades. 


Diamonds. 


Clubs. 


A-K-9-8; 


10-8-5-2; 


7; 


Q-J-5-2. 


A-J-9-7-4-2; 


Q-6-3; 


5-4; 


10-6. 


K-J-10-5-2; 


8-4-2; 


7-3; 


9-5-2. 


K-Q-J-5; 


Q-10-6-3; 


9-8-4; 


10-8. 


Q-J-9-6-5; 


K-Q-J-9-4; 


8-7; 


J. 



16 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE TWO-HEART BID. 

The bid of two hearts is far more important 
than is the bid of two diamonds, although like 
the other it indicates that the bidder hopes to 
secure game if he receives fair support from 
his partner. 

There is no greater fallacy in the game than 
the assertion that the bid of two hearts may as 
well be made on the second round if the 
original bid of one heart does not stand. One 
heart allows either adversary to bid two clubs 
or two diamonds, thus revealing a no-trump or 
a great diamond holding in their combined 
hands. Two hearts make it extremely diffi- 
cult for them to bid at all, and there is little 
danger of your being beaten. unless the adver- 
saries might have made game on a no-trump 
declaration. 



Examples of two-heart bids: 



Hearts. 


Spades. 


Diamonds. 


Clubs. 


K-Q-J-9-7-4; 


J-3-2; 




K-J-7-4. 


A-Q-J-9-6-3; 


Q-J-6-4-2; 


7; 


7. 


K-Q-J-10-3; 


A-Q-J-9-5; 


10; 


J-5. 


K-Q-J-10-7-6-3; 


J-5; 


8-4; 


9-8. 


A-K-Q-9-5; 


K-Q-10-5-4; 


J; 


6-2. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 17 



THE NO-TRUMP DECLARATION. 

Strength in the black suits is the principal 
requisite for a no-trump declaration in auction 
bridge. 

When a player holds both black aces and a 
king of any suit or two protected queens, his 
hand warrants a bid of one no-trump. 

Weakness in the red suits is of little con- 
sequence. If a player bid no-trump with no 
strength in either red suit and his declaration 
holds, he will nearly alwa3^s find that his part- 
ner is able to take tricks both in the diamond 
and heart suits. 

Should a player bid no-trump with strength 
in the red suits his adversaries would be un- 
able to over-bid him in the black suits, but 
might take nearly all the tricks. 

The spade suit is far more important than 
any other and weakness in both of the red 
suits should be preferred to weakness in 
spades. 

An adversary will sometimes bid three clubs 
on a very long and strong club suit, but would 
never bid six spades under the same circum- 
stances. The spade convention is an added 
danger. 

I do not consider three aces a compulsory 
no-trump bid if the ace of spades is missing. 
This does not mean that no trump never 
should be bid unless a player has spade 



18 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



strength, but without strength in spades a no- 
trump declaration should not be risked with- 
out exceptional strength in the other three 
suits. 

With the black suits protected no-trump 
should be bid originally from any of the fol- 
lowing combinations, it being understood in 
each case that one or more small cards are held 
in the same suit as the aces or kingfs : 

Two aces and one king. 

Two black aces and two protected queens. 

One ace and three kings. 

One ace, one suit with king, queen at the 
top and another king. 

AH the kings and two or three queens or 
jacks. 

A no-trump bid is much more effective if 
made before the opponents have shown 
strength in any other suit. To withhold a 
no-trump bid until the second round, is simply 
to lose the natural advantage of playing the 
dummy hand. 

The declarant who sees the dummy hand is 
always able to select the suit which he can 
play to the best advantage in the combined 
hands. The opponents frequently fail to find 
the right suit until too late in the deal for the 
knowledge to help them, unless they are per- 
mitted to show their strength to each other 
by bidding. 

Never bid more than one no-trump original- 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 19 



ly. It was formerly the practice to start with 
a bid of two no-trump when very weak in one 
of -the red suits, to prevent the right-hand 
adversary of a bidder from disclosing that 
suit to his partner. But the bid of two no- 
trump discloses precisely that weakness and 
the adversaries are quick to take advantage 
of it. 



20 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE SECOND BIDDER. 

When the dealer bids one spade the second 
player should bid as though he were the dealer, 
with one exception; having a good suit of 
spades and little else he should double the 
spade bid. This indicates less strength than 
a bid of two spades. 

With ace, king, queen and other spades the 
bid would of course be three spades. 

When the dealer bids no-trump the second 
player should pass except in the following 
instances. 

With a really strong and long suit of hearts 
or diamonds and a fair hand, bid two in your 
suit. Do not make this bid with less than 
five trumps. 

With an exceptionally good no-trump hand, 
bid two no-trump. You have the advantage 
of position, as your aces are behind the dealer's 
kings, while your kings are safe. Also you have 
the advantage of the dummy and the lead 
coming up to you. It not infrequently hap- 
pens that either side may bid no-trump in 
the same deal and make a good score. 

Do not double unless you are able to also 
double hearts or diamonds. 

When the dealer makes a bid in any suit 
except one spade, do not bid no-trump unless 
you have a possible trick in the suit bid. You 
can bid enough in a black suit to inform your 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 21 



partner of the situation. He will then bid 
no-trump if able to stop the enemies' suit, 
and if not will take you out of your black bid 
by going to some other suit. 

For instance if the dealer bid one diamond 
and the second player held a no-trump hand 
except in the diamond suit he should bid three 
spades. If his holding were very strong in 
the other three suits he should bid four or five 
spades to emphasize the situation. 

The fourth player with king and a small 
diamond, and no other high cards would then 
bid no-trump. In any case he would take you 
out of your high black bid. 

Remember that no bid is ever made in a 
black suit because the bidder desires to play 
the deal with that suit as trumps. If a score 
in clubs would give one side the game, their 
opponents would not allow them to play clubs. 

When the dealer bids two spades or two 
clubs and the second player does not hold a 
very strong hand, it is very probable that the 
next bid will be no-trump. The second player 
should consider whether he can afiford to show 
his suit to direct his partner's lead, if the lead 
of that suit is especially desirable. 

Db not be too anxious to bid with a color- 
less hand of less than average strength ; it is 
better to pass the first bid entirely. 



22 AUCTION BRIDCE. 



THE THIRD BIDDER. 

When the dealer bids one spade and the 
second player passes, the third player should 
bid in hearts, diamonds or no-trump precisely 
as though he were the dealer. There is little 
use of bidding two spades or two clubs in 
such a position, except to direct a lead when 
the fourth player bids no-trump. 

When your partner bids no-trump and the 
second player goes over with two diamonds 
or hearts, never bid two no-trump, unless you 
can protect the suit named. Overbid in your 
best suit and your partner will go back to no- 
trump if he can stop the adversaries' suit. 

When your partner bids no-trump and your 
hand is very weak, overbid himi with two 
hearts or two diamonds if you have five or 
more cards in either suit. It is even desirable 
to bid three clubs if you hold six or more of 
that suit. 

It sometimes happens that your partner 
bids no-trump and you have a very long and 
strong red suit with no card of re-entry. In 
such a case bid three hearts or diamonds, as 
the case may be. 

When the dealer bids one heart or one dia~ 
mond and you have strength in the black 
suits bid one no-trump. 

When the dealer bids two hearts or two 
diamonds the third player should not go to 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 23 



no-trump unless he has a strong hand in each 
of the remaining suits. 

When dealer bids two spades or two clubs 
and the second player passes; the third player 
should bid no-trump with strength in two 
suits other than the one indicated. Strength 
in the other black suit is more desirable than 
any other. Thus, when his partner has said 
two clubs the third player should bid no- 
trump with the following cards : spades, A- 
Q-9-4; hearts, K-10-8-5 ; clubs, 10-5-3; dia- 
monds, 3-2. 

Always take your partner out of a bid of 
one spade. 

Take your partner out of a bid of two spades 
or two clubs if you have a possible bid in your 
hand. 

When dealer bids hearts or diamonds and 
the second player overbids, the third player 
may raise his partner's bid if he can give him 
two certain tricks, or one certain aad two pos- 
sible tricks. Except in the trump suit a king and 
one or more small cards is not a certain but 
probable trick; a singleton in a plain suit is 
worth a trick if there are at least two trumps 
in the hand. 

Two tricks are not a great manv and a 
player should be certain that his hand is worth 
that much before raising his partner's bid; 
on the strength of your raise your partner 
may carry the bidding much higher. 



24 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE FOURTH BIDDER. 

There are /two situations which especially 
belong to the fourth bidder, as follows : 

When the dealer bids on a black suit and 
the other players have passed, the fourth 
player should not bid at all unless with a 
good chance to secure game. This oppor- 
tunity seldom occurs, and usually when one 
of the adversaries should have bid no-trump. 

When the dealer bids no-trump and the oth- 
er players pass, the fourth player must some- 
times bid to direct his partner's lead. Thus 
with spades, 3-2; hearts, K-Q-J-7-4; clubs, 7- 
6-3 ; diamonds, 9-7-2, two hearts should be bid, 
as a lead of any other suit would probably lose 
the game. With a slightly inferior suit of 
hearts and queen or jack in two other suits 
the fourth bidder should pass. 

When the dealer bids diamonds and the third 
player overbids in hearts, or vice versa, the 
fourth player may bid no-trump if he hold the 
necessary strength in the black suits and protec- 
tion in the suit named by the adversary at his 
right. 

For instance, should dealer bid one heart and 
the third player two diamonds, the fourth player 
should bid no-trump from the following hand: 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 25 



spades, K-Q-J-7-4; hearts, 7; clubs, A-Q-9-6; 
diamonds, Q-J-5. 

It is a fair inference that with good hearts the 
third player would support his partner's bid 
rather than switch suits, and the second player 
may therefore be trusted to defend the heart 
suit. 



26 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



SUBSEQUENT BIDDING. 

When the bidding^ goes into two or more 
rounds it has developed into a contest be- 
tween hearts and diamonds, or between no- 
trump and one of the red suits. One general 
rule should always be observed. 

Take any reasonable risk when success 
means game, but never make a doubtful bid 
with little or no chance of securing game. 

The best and quickest way of deciding the 
value of a hand is to count the losing cards. 
Thus with spades, K-4-2 ; hearts, 6-3 ; clubs, 
J-7 ; diamonds, K-Q-J-9-7-5, you have one 
trick to lose in the diamond suit, two each in 
clubs and hearts, two and possibly three in 
spades. The hand is good enough to warrant 
a bid of two diamonds over one heart, but if 
either opponent goes to two hearts it would 
be rank folly to say three diamonds. 

When your partner has bid no-trump and 
an adversary bid two in a red suit, a player's 
position is often of vital importance. Suppose 
north has bid one no-trump and east two 
hearts ; south may bid two no-trump if he hold 
king and small, queen and two small, or jack 
and three small hearts. If his other support 
is very good he may even risk a bid with ten 
and three small hearts. 

Should north bid no-trump, the next two 
players pass, west bid two hearts and the next 
two players pass, south could not bid two no- 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 27 



trump with any of the above combinations, as 
the lead would come from east, through his 
exposed cards in dummy. To bid two no- 
trump under such circumstances south should 
have in the heart suit either king" or queen 
and three small cards, king, ten and one small 
card, queen, jack and one small card or jack, 
ten and two small cards. 



28 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE DOUBLE. 

Doubling cannot continue indefinitely, as in 
bridge. One double and one re-double only are 
allowed. As this carries the value of each 
trick lost by the declarant to 200 points, the 
restriction was necessary. 

In bridge the player who doubled an adver- 
sary's make thereby contracted to take the 
odd trick. This is true in auction bridge when 
a player doubles a bid of one in any suit or at 
no-trump. When a higher bid is doubled, how- 
ever, the doubler only agrees to prevent his 
adversary making the bid. Thus if north bid 
three diamonds and east doubles, east and west 
need only take five tricks to win. Should east 
bid six hearts and south double, north and 
south would only need two tricks to win. 

A player should not double a bid which 
may give a game to his opponents. This 
practically means that diamond, heart, or no- 
trump declarations should not be doubled 
except when the declarant has bid enough to 
make game without the double. 

This rule, of course, need not be observed 
when the declaration may be surely defeated 
and there is no chance for the declarant to 
escape by switching to another suit. 

As a general rule a player should not double 
a bid of one or two diamonds, hearts, or no- 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 29 



trump unless he is equally prepared to double 
either of the other two. 

Suppose north bids one no-trump, east two 
diamonds, and south doubles. This does not 
mean that south is merely showing protection 
in the diamond suit in order that north may 
bid two at no-trump. If that were all that 
south desired he should make a, bid of two 
no-trump. The double by south under such 
circumstances should mean that south saw an 
opportunity for a large score above the line, 
and wished the double to stand. 

The only informatory double of a high dec- 
laration is the no-trump double by pone to 
secure a spade lead from his partner. The 
opportunity to use it does not occur frequently. 

Should north bid no-trump, east and south 
pass, and west double, east should lead spades ; 
should north ^ibid no-trump, west bid two 
hearts, north two no-trump, and west in his 
turn doubled, east should lead hearts ; should 
north bid no-trump, east bid two hearts, north 
two no-trump, and west doubled, east should 
lead hearts ; should north bid no-trump, east 
two diamonds, south two hearts, west doubled, 
north two no-trump, and west in his turn again 
double, east should lead hearts. 

This last case is important, and players 
should be certain that they understand it fully. 

In the last instance, west doubles a heart 
declaration at his right, but did not support 
his partner's bid of two diamonds, consequent- 
ly the heart suit should be led by east and the 



30 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



diamond suit by west throughout the play of 
the deal. 

Whether it is better to double an adversary's 
bid and play for a score above the line, or to 
play to' secure game in that deal, must always 
remain a matter of individual judgment. 

It is better to play for game if it seems likely 
that game may be won, unless the double 
offers the likelihood of 300 or more above the 
line. When your partner has doubled and you 
cannot help him to defeat the adversaries in 
that particular declaration, overbid in another 
suit, if your hand offers any possible warrant 
for such a bid. 

Dbubling plays a much greater part in auc- 
tion than in any other game, but the following 
general rules should be carefully studied : 

Doubling black declarations merely informs 
your partner that you can protect the suit in 
question, and the double is mainly for the pur- 
pose of allowing your partner to make a no 
trump bid if the other suits warrant. 

A player should never double a bid in a black 
suit with the expectation thereby of securing a 
count above the line. Players should under- 
stand, therefore, that a double in a black dec- 
laration is purely informatory. 

A double of a red declaration or of no-trump 
is always for the purpose of securing a larger 
count in the- honor column. 

A double of one spade indicates merely 
strength in the spade suit and is inferior to a 
bid of two spades. To double one club also 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 31 



merely indicates the ability to protect the club 
suit. 

To double a bid of two spades or two clubs 
is a mo4;e important matter, and it gives the 
partner of the doubler the same no-trump en- 
couragement as the player who bid two in the 
black suit had given to his partner. The dou- 
ble in this case should mean the ability to stop 
the suit in question twice or one sure trick in 
that suit and strength in at least one other suit. 

A player should not double a bid of one dia- 
mond or one heart to show his partner protec- 
tion in that suit. 

Suppose north had bid one heart and east 
held the following cards : Hearts — king, queen, 
10, 8, 5. Spades — ^Queen, 9, 4. Diamonds — 7. 
Clubs — Jack, 8, 4, 2. East should not even con- 
sider a double, as either north or south w^ould 
undoubtedly sw^itch to diamonds or no-trump, 
in which case the cards held by east would 
have little value, while if the heart bid were 
allowed to stand east could certainly save the 
game and possibly secure a good count above 
the line. 

On the other hand, if west had a good no- 
trump hand, except that he was unable to stop 
the heart suit, he would make a high bid in 
clubs or spades, and east would then go to no- 
trump. This is real team work in bidding and 
makes the best results certain in every case. 



32 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



LEADING TO PARTNElR'S DECLAREiD 
SUIT. 

When your partner has made a bid in some 
suit other than spades and the next player bids 
no-trump, it is usually, but not always, better 
tO' lead your partner's suit than your own. 

The fact that the no-trump bidder can stop 
the suit should not deter a player from leading 
it, as one round may establish your partner's 
remaining cards in the suit. 

Having a long suit in your hand with king, 
queen, jack at the top, it is better to lead your 
own suit than your pa/tners, -unless your 
partner's bids have been very high. 

It is of little use to lead a singleton in your 
partner's suit if you have any suit in your 
hand that is worth while. 

Remember that bids in the black suit do not 
necessarily indicate length in the suit. A 
player in leading his partner's suit should 
always lead the top of two or three cards. 
With more than three in the suit, however, he 
should lead the fourth best if the suit is black, 
but the top if the suit is red. 

For instance, if your holding be queen, 10, 6, 
2, the queen should be led in a red suit to 
your partner's bid, because he would not bid 
in a red suit with a holding of less than 
four. In a black suit, however, the deuce 
-shpuM be led, as you may have more of the 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 33 



suit than your partner and can unblock later 
if necessary. 

As an original bid of two always indicates 
either the ace or king, a suit so indicated may 
be played to excellent advantage against a 
declared trump. Suppose, for instance, that 
your partner has bid two clubs and the next 
player two hearts. If you hold the king and 
one club the king should be led at once as 
your partner holds the ace and you can ruff 
the third round of the suit if necessary. 

The circumstances under which your part- 
ner's bid was made must always be consid- 
ered. If he bid two hearts or two diamonds 
after the adverse no-trump declaration his 
bid was probably made to direct your lead, 
and you should respond unless your own suit 
is extremely good. 

On the other hand, if your partner bids one 
heart or one diamond and does not increase 
his bid after the adverse no-trump declara- 
tion, his suit should be led only when the 
leader has no good suit in his own ^hand to 
lead. 



34 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE OPENING LEAD. 

When but one bid has been made the open- 
ing lead should be precisely the same as in 
bridge. Whether to open your own suit or 
your partner's, is discussed in another chapter. 

When an adversary has bid on your long 
suit the best lead at no-trump is usually a 
sipade, provided your holding in spades per- 
mits. Do not lead from king and one small or 
queen and two small spades, unless your part- 
ner has bid two spades. 

When your right-hand adversary bids no- 
trump after your bid in hearts or diamonds, 
it is sometimes very bad play to open your 
suit. Thus if the cards at the top of your 
suit are A-Q-J, A-Q-10, A-J-10, A-J-9, or K- 
J-10, you should try to throw the lead to your 
partner in some other suit^ in order that he 
may lead your suit through the honor or hon- 
ors which are marked in the declarant's hand 
by his bid. 

Should your suit be merely ace, queen and 
three or four small cards, open it with the 
fourth best. The finesse in such a case is bet- 
ter on the second round than the first. 

With three honors in sequence, such as 
K-Q-J or Q-J-10, always open your suit. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 35 



THE DISCARD. 

Discard from weakness, or from the suit 
you do not want your partner to lead. When 
compelled to discard from your strong suit in 
order to protect a weak one, echo by discard- 
ing a higher and then a lower card of the suit. 

At no-trump avoid discarding the last card 
of a suit. 

When there is a tenace suit exposed in 
dummy, such as ace, queen, ten, or king, jack, 
ten, try to avoid showing weakness in that 
suit in order to protect the honor which your 
partner may have. 

Always try to protect as many suits as 
possible when playing against a no-trump 
declaration even when it involves discarding 
from your best. When your partner discards 
from a suit and does not echo he denies any 
defense in that suit and commands you to de- 
fend it, if possible, regardless of sacrifice to 
the rest of your hand. 

When your partner echoes {in a suit in 
playing against a no-trump declaration you 
mav discard from that suit with impunity. 



36 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE RULE OF ELEIVEIN. 

Players should use the rule of eleven at all 
times. When your partner opens a suit with 
a small card subtract the number of pips on 
the card from eleven and the result will be the 
number of cards in that suit higher than the 
one led, that are held by the other three play- 
ers. For instance, if north led the seven of 
spades there would be exactly four spades 
above the seven held by east, south and west. 

The convention is of immense value, parti- 
cularly in no-trump deals. Thus if leader 
played the seven of diamonds, dummy dis- 
played the queen, five and trey, and pone held 
the king, nine and deuce, he should finesse 
the nine, as the declarant could have but one 
card above the seven, which might be the ace. 
In no case could the finesse lose. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 3? 



THE REVERSE OR ECHO. 

The reverse or echo consits in playing a 
higher and then a lower card of a suit, either 
when the suit is led or in discarding. Thus, a 
player has echoed when he plays first the five 
and then the trey of diamonds. 

When there is a declared trump an echo 
means that the player making it has no more 
of that suit and can trump the next round. 

At no-trump it indicates command or high- 
card strength in the suit in which it is used. 

Cards above the ten should never be used 
to make this signal. 

With a declared trump, when a player leads 
first the ace and then the king of a suit it in- 
dicates no more of that suit. 



38 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



FINESSING. 

Players should note the finessin.^ possibili- 
ties of the hands as soon as the dummy is ex- 
posed. Leads must be from the weak hand 
toward the strong with the successful bidder, 
and he should plan in advance never to be left in 
a position where he is obliged to start a suit 
from the wrong hand. 

A finesse is always an attempt to capture 
some high card held by an adversary. In or- 
der to play correctly, always assume that card 
to be where you want it to be. When it is 
not, you could not have captured it in any 
event. 

Holding K-10-9-8-4 in one hand and 3-2 in 
the other, lead the deuce and play the eight; 
next lead the trey and play the nine. If either 
queen or jack is at the right of the king you 
will capture it and get three tricks in the suit. 
The position of the ace makes no difiFerence 
as it must win a trick in any case. 

Holding king, queen and small cards on one 
side and only small cards on the other lead 
from the weak hand always. If you find the 
ace at the right of king and queen you can 
make both of them. 

Finessing in your partner's suit is deter- 
mined almost entirely by the cards shown in 
the dummy and the use of the rule of eleven. 

When the declarant has ace and small cards 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 39 



in one hand, queen and small cards in the 
other, he should never lead the queen unless 
he hold knave in one hand or the other. If 
the king is second hand it will play on the 
queen, forcing the ace and establishing the 
suit adversely. 

The proper play, when such a suit must be 
started, is to take the first trick with the ace 
and return a small card, hoping to go through 
the king. 

It is equally useless to lead the knave un- 
less the ten is in one of declarant's hands. 



40 Auction bridc^S. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 41 



COMMENTS ON ILLUSTRATIVE DEALS. 



DEAL NO. 1. 
The One Club Bid. 

Had north failed to indicate the club suit 
east would have secured eleven tricks, which 
shows the great importance of bidding to 
direct a lead. The club bid also enabled south 
to bid one more in hearts. 

South reasoned that north could probably 
take care of two of the three clubs in the south 
hand, and that eight tricks could probably be 
secured with hearts as trumps. The bid of 
three hearts was warranted, therefore, it being 
better to lose 50, than allow east to play the 
no-triimp hand. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 43 



DEAL NO. 2. 
When It is Your Partner's Move. 

What was the matter with the bidding in 
this case? East had a splendid no-trump hold- 
ing, and the score made it very undesirable to 
allow the adversaries to win the bid. 

East should not have made the bid of three 
no-trump, however, because it was his part- 
ner's move. East had already showm that he 
could stop the diamond suit and had a good 
no-trumper. West would certainly have gone 
to three no-trumps if he held as good cards 
as south, for instance. If west held nothing 
east would better allow north to play his 
diamonds and secure the game. 

A pass by east in this case would not have 
indicated a surrender ; having perfectly indicat- 
ed his holding, the final decision should have 
been left to his partner, west. 



44 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 45 



DEAL NO. 3. 

Waiting with a Long but Weak Red Suit. 

What can be the meaning of a bid of one 
spade on the first round and a bid of two or 
hiore in a red suit on the second? Obviouslv a 
very long red suit which would not be of 
assistance at no-trump. 

The bidding of north was splendid and the 
most effective way of preventing a disastrous 
no-trump by south. 

South would only have been able to secure 
six tricks at no-trump. The loss in the honor 
score would not have been great, but the fail- 
ure to make game more serious. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 47 



DEAL NO. 4. 
Showing Assistance for Partner's No-Trump. 

The bid by south is the feature of this deal. 
To bid two no-trump would have been very 
bad, as it would have constituted a positive 
declaration that south had a trick in the 
diamond suit. North interpreted his partner's 
bid about as follows : 

'Tartner, I cannot stop diamonds, but I have 
good hearts and can help your no-trump. If 
you can stop dia^monds take me out of this." 

That is the safe and sane way, but it is also 
the way to play for the greatest possible score. 

Had north been unable to stop diamonds he 
would probably have had some strength in the 
heart suit, and hearts would have been better 
than no-trump. 



48 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 49 



At the second round south seemed at first 
glance to be in a hopeless position^ as to bid 
six diamonds with five losing cards in his 
hand would be usually a very foolish proceed- 
ing. 

South made the bid, however, and felt abso- 
lutely certain that he would secure at least 
eleven tricks, his reasoning being as follows. 

The original bid of two spades by north 
notified his partner that the bidder held good 
spades, including either ace or king and a high 
card or cards in at least one other suit. 

North could hardly have any strength in the 
heart suit in view of the tremendous bidding 
by south ; he had, of course, nothing at all in 
diamonds and must, therefore, be able to assist 
south in the club suit. 

South could count on making four tricks in 
clubs and all of his diamonds, while the spade 
depended upon whether north held the ace or 
king at the top of his suit. 

In the play of the deal south trumped the 
original lead of hearts and led out all of his 
trumps except one, thus forcing west to dis- 
card either a spade or a club. 

Had west discarded a spade, south would 
have played for that suit and made a grand 
slam. 

West wisely let go of the four of clubs and 
south established the club suit, giving west one 
trick only. 



50 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 51 



DEAL NO. 6. 
Bidding to Show an Established Suit. 

South bid four diamonds instead of three, to 
show his partner an established suit. This 
justified the extraordinary conduct of north on 
the third round, in bidding six diamonds with- 
out a diamond in his hand. 

North reasoned that south must be very 
short in hearts, as east by his bidding showed 
great length in that suit. 

North and south, of course, could not lose 
my tricks except in the heart suit. 

South was unable to bid six diamonds be- 
cause he had no means of knowing that his 
partner's no-trump holding was as strong as 
it actually was. 



52 



AUCTION BRIDOE. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 53 



DEAL NO. 7. 
Bidding the Full Strength of the Hand. 

The holding of north in this case was un- 
usual^ but the situation represented occurs not 
infrequently. 

North should have bid four hearts originally, 
as it was almost certain that the king of hearts 
and ace and king of diamonds were the only 
cards w^hich his adversaries could make against 
him, supposing south's hand to be of no use 
whatever. 

An original bid of four in hearts would have 
resulted in a small slam for north and south 
with sixty-four in honors, while any smaller 
bid was certain to give east and west at least 
a small slam at no-trump, with thirty aces. 

Had north started with one heart east would 
have bid five spades ; had the original bid been 
three hearts, east would have bid six clubs; 
and in either case west, of course, would have 
gone to no-trump. 

An original bid of four hearts, however, 
would have rendered east powerless, and west 
could never have bid no-trump on his own 
account. 



54 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 55 



DEAL No. 8. 

When One Hundred Aces Should Be 
Abandoned. 

An original bid of one spade followed by the 
heart bid on the second round advertised to 
south the character of his partner's heart hold- 
ing, and south, therefore, played beautifully in 
relinquishing his count of one hundred aces 
for the better chance of securing game at 
hearts. 

Being able to count one hundred in honors 
is poor compensation for allowing the adver- 
saries to secure an equal or greater count by 
reason of the declarant's inability to fulfill his 
contract. 

South could have made the odd trick only at 
no-trump, which would have meant wasting a 
good hand. 



56 



A.UCTION BRIDGE. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 57 



DEAL NO. 9. 

Not Bidding No-Trump When Unable to Stop 
the Suit Adversely Declared. 

The bid of four spades by east would have 
meant that the bidder had a no-trump hand, 
but was unable to stop the heart suit. 

Bidding five spades instead of four indicated 
that the no-trump holding by south was excep- 
tionally good and west was, therefore, war- 
ranted in trying for game even with his very 
weak holding in diamonds. 

Had east bid no-trump he would have se- 
cured the odd trick only, and the hand was too 
strong to waste at no-trump unless west could 
stop the heart suit. 



58 AUCTION BRIDOE. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 59 



DEAL NO. 10. 

Bidding with Insufficient Strength. 

The heart bid by north was atrocious, 
although many players believe that the original 
bidder should show a trick in either of the red 
suits^ if possible. 

Nothing but a bid of one spade by north 
could correctly describe to his partner the 
character of such a hand. 

After the error was committed there was no 
means of escape open for either north or south. 

East would not have doubled the heart de- 
claration had he not been equally well prepared 
to double either diamonds or no-trump. 

The final penalty for the bid was enormous 
and such scores should never be possible in the 
game. 



60 AUCTION BRIDGE. 






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AUCTION BRIDGE. 61 



DEAL. NO. 11. 
Good Partnership Bidding. 

South could not bid no-trump on account of 
inability to stop the diamond suit. 

The original bid by north indicated no trump 
assistance and south in his turn indicated 
greater no-trump assistance but nothing in 
diamonds. 

This made a no-trump declaration certain in 
case north could stop the diamond suit, with 
a heart declaration to fall back upon if the no- 
trump were impossible. 



62 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



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AUCTION BRIDGE. 63 



DEAL NO. 12. 

Not Guessing Between Two Red Suits. 

This deal represents one of the prettiest pro- 
positions in auction bridg-e and is the only kind 
of hand on which the dealer should withhold 
the strength of his bid until the second round. 
Had north made a bid of one heart originally 
there w^ould have been no further bidding: and 
game, of course, would have been impossible. 

A no-trump declaration is never desirable 
from a hand where most of the streng-th is in 
the red suits, and a bid of tw^o spades would 
defeat one of the chief objects in prospect. 

After bidding one spade, should either ad- 
versary declare one of the red suits, north 
would instantly bid on the other. Should the 
adversary's bid be increased, north would 
double, being now in a position to strike hard. 

Should south show one of the red suits north 
would, of course, support the bid, while if 
south indicated clubs, north would be in a posi- 
tion to go to no-trump. 

x\gainst adversaries who are reckless in their 
bidding immense results may frequently be 
secured from hands of this character, as the 
dealer has thirteen inch guns trained upon 
them in case they bid in either of the red suits, 
and his original bid of one spade encourages 
each of his adversaries in the belief that his 
partner must hold fair cards. 



64 AUCT?iON BRIDGE. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



The rules for bidding given in this volume 
may always be used against players A^ho are 
themselves sound bidders. There are so 
many of the other kind, however, that a player 
should always be prepared to vary his game 
in order to take advantage of the known weak- 
ness of an adversary. An enormous score, 
for instance, should always be made against a 
player who persistently overbids his hands in 
order to secure the play, and bids to coax a 
higher bid from him are justified. 

Auction bridge is the poorest game there 
is in which to bluff, if you are playing against 
intelligent adversaries. 

Be on the watch for a coup, when playing 
against players who indulge in them. The 
favorite coup is usually the following; no- 
trump has been declared and the leader has 
the following cards: clubs, A-K-Q-J-9-4-3 ; 
hearts, 3-2 ; spades, J-7 ; diamonds, 6-3 ; he 
bids two hearts or two diamonds, expecting 
one of his opponents to go to two no-trump 
Dv to double. 

•Should the adversaries go to two no-trump 
leader doubles, and the adversaries are con- 
tent, because they expect him to lead the suit 
on which he has bid. 

Should the adversaries double leader's bid 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 65 



of two in a red suit he would switch to three 
clubs. 

The defense in such cases is simply to pass 
when the adversary bids on a suit in which 
you have length and strength. I have seen 
a small slam with 61 honors made against a 
two-heart bid under such circumstances. 

Be very careful to remember all the bids. 
Say to yourself, my partner bid one club, sec- 
ond player bid one heart, etc. This w411 pre- 
vent the bid being driven from your mind by 
subsequent events, and will aid you greatly in 
playing the deal. 

As soon as the cards in the dummy are dis- 
played, place as many high cards as you can 
from the bidding, and tell yourself where they 
are to avoid forgetting them later. 

It is frequently difficult to decide who 
should have the next deal in auction bridge, 
especially after a very exciting deal has been 
played. Two packs of cards should always 
be used. 

The dealer's partner should prepare the 
pack not in use and place it at his right. 
When a player, therefore, finds the cards at 
his left it is his deal. 

When a player cuts the cards he should 
place the packet which he removes toward the 
dealer. It is neither necessary, nor particu- 
larly desirable, for the player who cuts to re- 
unite the packets. 



66 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 

As Adopted by The Whist Club, New York. 



THE RUBBER. 

1. The partners first winning two games 
win the rubber. If the first two games decide 
the rubber, the third is not played. 

SOORING. 

2. A game consists of 30 points obtained by- 
tricks alone, exclusive of any points counted 
for honors, chicane, clam, little slam, bonus or 
under tricks. 

3. Every deal is played out, and any points 
in excess of the 30 necessary for the game are 
counted. 

4. When the declarant wins the number of 
tricks bid, each one above six counts toward 
the game ; 2 points when spades are trumps, 
4 at clubs, 6 at diamonds, 8 at hearts and 
12 at no-trump. 

5. Honors are ace, king, queen, knave, and 
ten of the trump suit, or the aces when no- 
trump is declared. 

6. Honors are credited in the honor column 
to the original holders, the values being the 
same as in bridge. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 67 



7. A grand slam is made when seven tricks 
are scored independently of tricks taken as 
penalty for the revoke ; it adds 40 points to the 
honor count. 

8. Little slam is made when six tricks are 
similarly scored ; it adds 20 points to the honor 
count. 

9. Chicane (one hand void of trumps) is 
equal in value to simple honors, i. e., if the 
partners, one of whom has chicane, score hon- 
ors, it adds the value of three honors, to their 
honor score ; if the adversaries score honors it 
deducts that value from their honor count. 
Double chicane (both hands void of trumps) 
is equal in value to four honors, and that 
amount must be deducted from the honor score 
of the adversaries. 

10. The value of honors, slam, little slam, 
or chicane is not affected by a double or a re- 
double. 

11. At the conclusion of a rubber, the trick 
and honor scores of each side are added ; and 
an extra 250 points are given to the winners. 
The difference between the completed scores 
is the number of points of the rubber. 

12. A proven error in the honor score may 
be corrected at any time before the score of 
the rubber has been made up and agreed upon. 

13. A proven error in the trick score may be 
corrected prior to thci conclusion of the game 
in which it occurred. Such game shall not be 
considered concluded until a declaration has 
been made in the following game, or, if it be 



QS AUCTION BRIDGE. 



the fimal game of the rubber, until the score has 
been made up and agreed upon. 

CUTTING. 

14. In cutting, the ace is the lowest card ; as 
between cards of otherwise equal value, the 
lowest is the heart, next the diamond, next the 
club, and highest the spade. 

15. Elvery player must cut from the same 
pack. 

16. Should a player expose more than one 
card, the highest is his cut. 

FORMING TABLES. 

17. The prior right to play is with those 
first in the room. If there be more than four 
candidates, the privilege of playing is decided 
by cutting. The four who cut the lowest cards 
play the first rubber. 

18. After the table is formed the players 
cut to decide upon partners, the lower two 
playing against the higher two. The lowest is 
the dealer who' has the choice of cards and 
seats, and who, having made his selection, 
must abide by it. 

19. Six players constitute a complete table. 

20. The right to succeed any player who 
may retire is acquired by announcing the de- 
sire to do so, and such announcement shall 
constitute a prior right to the first vacancy. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 69 



CUTTING OUT. 

21. If, at the end of a rubber, admission be 
claimed by one or two candidates, the player 
or players having- played the greatest num- 
ber of consecutive rubbers shall withdraw, but 
when all have played the same number, they 
must cut to decide upon the outgoers — the 
highest are out. 

RIGHTS OF ENTRY. 

22. A candidate desiring to enter a table 
must declare such wish before any player at 
the table cuts a card, for the purpose either 
of beginning a new rubber or of cutting out. 

23. In the formation of new tables, those 
candidates, who have not played at any other 
table, have the prior right of entry. Those 
who have already played decide their right to 
admission by cutting. 

24. When one or more players belonging to 
another table, aid in making up a new one, the 
new players at such table shall be the first to 
go out. 

25. A player who cuts into one table, while 
belong-ing to another, shall forfeit his prior 
right of re-entry into the latter, unless he has 
helped to form a new table. In this event he 
may signify his intention of returning to his 
original table when his place at the new one 
can be filled. 

26. Should any player quit the table during 
the progress of a rubber, he may, with the con- 



70 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



sent of the other three, appoint a substitute to 
play during his absence, but such appointment 
shall become void at the conclusion of that 
rubber and shall not in any way aflfect the sub- 
stitute's rights. 

27. If any one break up a table, the remain- 
ing players have a prior right at other tables. 

SHUFFLING. 

38. TIhe pack must not be shuffled below 
the table nor so that the face of any card may 
be seen. 

29. The dealer's partner must collect the 
cards from the preceding deal and has the 
first right to shuffle the cards. Each player 
has the right tO' subsequently shuffle. The 
dealer has the right to shuffle last ; but, should 
a card or cards be seen during the shuffling, 
or while giving the pack to be cut, he must 
re-shuffle. 

30. After shuffling, the cards, properly col- 
lected, must be placed face downward to the 
left of the next dealer. 

THE DEAL. 

31. Each player deals in his turn; the order 
of dealing is to the left. 

32. The player on the dealer's right cuts 
the pack, and in ^dividing it he must leave not 
fewer than four cards in each packet, if in 
cutting or in replacing one of the two packets 
a card be exposed, or if there be any confusion 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 71 



or a doubt as to the exact place in which the 
pack was divided, there must be a fresh cut. 

33. When the player whose duty it is to 
cut, has once separated the pack, he can neith- 
er re-shuffle nor re-cut except as provided, in 
Law 32. 

34. Should the dealer shuffle the cards 
after the cut, the pack must be re-cut. 

35. The fifty-two cards shall be dealt face 
dow^nward. The deal is not completed until 
the last card has been dealt. 

36. There is no penalty for a misdeal. The 
cards must be re-dealt. 

A NEW DEAL. 

37. There must be a new, deal : 

(a) If the cards be not dealt into four pack- 
ets, one at a time and in regular rotation,, be- 
ginning at the dealer's left. 

(b) If, during a deal or during the play, the 
pack be proven incorrect or imperfect. 

(c) If any card be faced in the pack. 

(d) If any player have dealt to him a great- 
er number of cards than thirteen, whether dis- 
covered before or during the play. 

(e) If the dealer deal two cards at once 
and then deal a third before correcting the 
error. 

(f) If the dealer omit to have the pack cut 
and either adversary calls attention to the fact 
prior to the completion of the deal, and before 
either adversary has looked at any of his cards. 



72 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



(g) If the last card does not come in its 
regular order to the dealer. 

38. There may be a new deal: 

(a) If the dealer or his partner expose a 
card before the deal has been completed. Eith- 
er adversary may claim a new deal. 

(b) If either adversary expose a card be- 
fore the deal has been completed, the dealer 
or his partner may claim a new deal. 

(c) If before fifty-one cards are dealt, the 
dealer look at any card, his adversaries have 
the right to see it, and either may exact a new 
deal. 

(d) If in dealing, one of the last cards be 
exposed by the dealer or his partner and the 
deal be completed before there is reasonable 
time for either adversary to decide as to a new 
deal. In all other cases such penalties must 
be claimed prior to the completion of the deal. 

39. The claim for a new deal by reason of a 
card exposed during the deal may not be made 
by a player who has looked at any of his cards. 
If the deal stand, a card so exposed cannot be 
called. 

40. Should three players have their right 
number of cards, the fourth, less than thirteen, 
and not discover such deficiency until he has 
played, the deal stands ; he, not being dummy, 
is answerable for any established revoke he 
may have made as if the missing card or cards 
had been in his hand. Any player may search 
the other pack for it or them. 

41. If during the play, a pack be proven in- 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 73 



correct or imperfect, such proof renders the 
curent deal void, but does not afifect any prior 
score. (See law 37b.) If, during or at the con- 
clusion of the play, one player be found to hold 
more than the proper number of cards and 
another have an equal number less, the hand 
is void. 

42. A player dealing out of turn or with the 
adversaries' cards, .may be corrected before 
the last card is dealt; otherwise the deal must 
stand and the game proceed as if the deal had 
been correct. 

43. A player can neither cut, shuffle, nor 
deal for his partner without the permission of 
his adversaries. 

DECLARING TRUMPS. 

44. The dealer, having examined his hand, 
must declare to win at least one odd trick, 
either with a trump suit or at no trumps. 

45. After the dealer has made his declara- 
tion, each player in turn, commencing with the 
player on the dealer's left, has the right to 
pass, to make a higher declaration, to double 
the last declaration made, or to redouble a 
declaration w'hich has been doubled, subject to 
the provisions of law 55. 

46. A declaration of a greater number of 
tricks in a suit of lower value, which equals 
the last declaration in value of points, shall 
be considered a higtier declaration, e. g. a 
declaration of ''two spades" is a higher declara- 



74 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



tion than ''one club/' and ''two diamonds" is 
higher than "one no trump." 

47. A player in his turn may overbid the 
previous declaration any number of times, and 
he may also overbid his partner, but he cannot 
overbid his own declaratioin, which bas been 
passed by the other three players. 

48. When the final declaration has been 
made — i.e., when the last declaration has been 
passed by the other three players — the player 
who has made such declaration (or, in the case 
where both partners have made declarations 
in the same suit or of "no trumps," the player 
who first made such declaration) shall play 
the combined hands of himself and of his part- 
ner, the latter becoming dummy. 

49. When n the player of the two hands 
(hereinafter termed the "declarant") wins at 
least as many tricks as he declared to do,, he 
scores the full value of the tricks won (see 
laws 4 and 6). When he fails, his adversaries 
score in the honor column fifty points for each 
undertrick — i. e., each trick short of the num- 
ber declared; or, if the declaration have been 
doubled or redoubled, 100 or 200, respectively 
for each such trick, neither the declarer nor his 
adversaries score anything toward the game. 

50. The loss on the declaration of "one 
spade" shall be limited to 100 points in respect 
of undertricks, whether doubled or not, unless 
redoubled. 

51. If a player make a declaration (other 
than passing) out of turn, the adversary on 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 75 



his left may demand a new deal or may allow 
the declaration so made to stand, when the 
bidding shall continue as if the declaration had 
been in order. 

52. If a player in bidding fail to declare a 
sufficient number of tricks to overbid the 
previous declaration, he shall be considered to 
have declared the requisite number of tricks in 
the bid which he has made, unless either of 
his adversaries make a higher declaration, 
double, or pass the insufficient declaration. 
When the insufficient declaration is. corrected 
to the requisite number of tricks in the bid, or 
if the correction be impossible, the partner of 
the declarant shall be debarred from making 
any further declaration, unless either of his 
adversaries make a higher declaration or 
double. 

53. After the final declaration has been 
made, a player is not entitled to give his part- 
ner any information as to a previous declara- 
tion, whether made by himself or by an ad- 
versary, but a player is entitled to inquire at 
any time during the play of the hand what 
was the final declaration. 

DOUBLING AND REDOUBLING. 

54. The efifect of doubling: and redoubling 
in that the value of each trick over six is 
doubled or quadrupled, as provided in law 4, 
but it does not alter the value of a declaration, 
e. g., a declaration of "two' diamonds'' is higher 



76 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



than ''one no> trump," although the no trump 
declaration has been doubled. 

55. A player cannot double his partner's 
declaration nor redouble; his partner's double, 
but he may redouble a declaration of his part- 
ner which has been doubled by an adversary. 

56. The act of doublingi or redoubling re- 
opens the bidding. Wihen a declaration has 
been doubled or redoubled any player, includ- 
ing the declarant ot his partner, can, in his 
proper turn, make a further declaration of 
higher value. 

57. When a player, whose declaration has 
been doubled, makes good his declaration by 
winning at least the declared number of tricks 
he scores a bonus which consists of fifty points 
in the honor column for winning the number 
of tricks declared, and a further fifty points 
for each additional trick he may win. If he 
or his partner have redoubled the bonus is 
doubled. 

58. If a player doubles out of turn the ad- 
versarv at' his left may demand a new deal. 

59. When the final declaration has been 
made the play shall begin and the player on 
the left of the declarer shall lead. 

60. A declaration once made cannot be 
altered unless it has been doubled or a higher 
declaration made. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 77 



DUMMY. 

61. As soon as the eldest hand has led, the 
declarant's partner shall place his cards face 
upward on the table, and the] duty of playing 
the cards from that hand shall devolve upon 
the declarant. 

62. Before placing his cards upon the table 
the declarant's partner has all the rights of a 
player, but after so doing takes no part what- 
ever in the play except that hd.has the right: 

A. To ask the declarant whether he has 
any of a suit which he may have renounced ; 

B. To call the declarant's attention to the 
fact that toO' many or too few cards have been 
played to a tricky 

C. To correct the claim of either adversary 
to a penalty to which he is not entitled ; 

D. To call attention to the fact that a trick 
has been erroneously taken by either side ; 

E. To participate in the discussion of any 
disputed question of fact after it has arisen be- 
tween the declarant and either adversary ; 

F. To correct an erroneous score. 

63. Should the declarant's partner call at- 
tention to any other incident of the play in 
consequence of which any penalty might have 
been exacted the declarant is precluded from 
exacting such penalty. 

64. If the declarant's partner by touching 
a card on otherwise suggest the play of a card 
from dummy either adversary may, without 



78 AtJCT?lON BRIDGE. 



consultation, call upon the declarant tO' play 
or not to play the card suggested. 

65. Dummy is not liable to the penalty for 
a revoke; if he revoke and the error be not 
discovered until the trick is turned and quitted, 
the trick must stand. 

66. A card from the declarant's own hand 
is not played until actually quitted, but should 
he name or touch a card in the dummy, such 
card is considered as played unless he in touch- 
ing the card, say, '1 arrange," or words to 
that effect. If he simultaneously touch two or 
more such cards, he may elect which one to 
play. 

CARDS EXPOSED BEFORE PLAY. 

67. If, after the cards have been dealt, and 
before the trump declaration has been finally 
determined, any player expose a card from his 
hand, either adversary may demand a new 
deal. If the deal be allowed to stand, the ex- 
posed card may be picked up and cannot be 
called. 

68. If, after the final declaration has been 
accepted and before a card is led, the partner 
of the player who' has tO' lead tO' the first trick 
expose a card from his hand, the declarant may 
instead of calling the card, require the leader 
not to open that suit. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 79 



CARDS EXPOSED DURING PLAY. 

69. All cards exposed after the original 
lead are liable to be called, and such cards 
must be left face upward on the table. 

70. The following are exposed cards : 
First — Two or more cards played at once. 
Second — Any card dropped with its face up- 
ward on the table, even though snatched up 
SO' quickly that it cannot be named. 

Third — Any card so held by a player that 
his partner sees any portion of its face. 

Fourth — Any card mentioned by either ad- 
versary as being held by him or his partner. 

A card dropped on the floor or elsewhere 
below the table, or so held that an adversary 
but not the partner\ sees it, is not an exposed 
card. 

72. If two or more cards be played at once 
by either of the declarant's adversaries, the 
declarant shall have the right to call any one 
of such cards to the current trick and the other 
card or cards exposed. 

73. If, without waiting for his partner to 
play, either of the declarant's adversaries play 
on the table the best card or lead one which 
is a winning card, as against the declarant and 
dummy, and continue (without waiting for his 
partner to play) to lead several such cards, the 
declarant may demand that the partner of the 
player in fault win, if he can, the first, or any 
other of these tricks, and the other cards thus 
improperly played are exposed cards. 



80 AUCO^ION BRIDGE. 



74. If either or both of the declarant's ad- 
versaries throw his or their cards on the table 
face upward, such cards are exposed and are 
liable to be called; but if either adversary re- 
tain his hand he cannot be forced to abandon 
it. Cards exposed by the declarant are not 
liable to be called. If the declarant say, *'I 
have the rest/' or any other words indicating 
that the remaining tricks, or any number 
thereof are his, he may be required to place his 
cards face upward on the table. His adversar- 
ies are not liable to have any of their cards 
called should they thereupon expose them. 

75. If a player who has rendered himself 
liable to have the highest or lowest of a suit 
called (laws 82, 88 and 95) fail tO' play as 
directed or if when called on to lead one suit 
he lead another, having in his hand one or 
more cards o'f the suit demanded (laws 76 
and 96), or if called upon to win or lo^se a 
trick, he fail to do so when he can (laws 73, 82, 
and 95), he is liable to the penalty for revoke, 
unless such play be corrected before the trick 
is turned and quitted. 

LEADS OUT OF TURN. 

76. If either of the declarant's adversaries 
lead out of turn, the declarant may either treat 
the card so led as an exposed card or may call 
a suit as soon as it is the turn of either adver- 
sary to lead. 

77. If the declarant lead out of turn, either 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 81 



from his own hand or from dummy, he incurs 
no penalty; but he may not rectify the error 
after the second hand has played. 

78. If any player lead out of turn and the 
other three follow the trick is complete and 
the error cannot be rectified ; but if only the 
second or second and third play to the false 
lead, their cards may be taken back ; there is 
no penalty against any except the original 
offender, who, if he be one of the declarant's 
adversaries, may be penalized as provided in 
law 76. 

79. A player cannot be compelled to play a 
card which w^ould oblige him to revoke. 

80. The call of an exposed card may be 
repeated until such card has been played. 

81. If a player called on to lead a suit have 
none of it, the penalt}^ is paid. 

CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR. 

82. Should ' the fourth hand not being 
dummy or declarant, play before the second, 
the latter may be called upon to play his 
highest or lowest card of the suit played or to 
win or lose the trick. 

83. If any one, not being dummy, omit 
playing to a trick and such error be not cor- 
rected until he has played to the next, the 
adversaries, or either of them, may claim a new 
deal; should they decide that the deal is to 
stand, the surplus card at the end of the hand 
is considered to have been played to the im- 



82 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



perfect trick, but does not constitute a revoke 
thereini. 

84. If any one except dummy play two or 
more cards to the same trick and the mistake 
be not corrected, he is answerable for any con- 
sequent revokes he may have made. If during 
the play the error be detected, the tricks may 
be counted face downward, tO' see if any con- 
tain more than four cards ; should this be the 
case, the trick which contains a surplus card, 
or cards, may be examined, and the card or 
cards restored to the original holder, who (not 
being dummy) shall be liable for any revoke 
he may meanwhile have made. 

THE RiEVOKE. 

65. A revoke occurs when a player, other 
ithan dummy, holding one or more cards of the 
suit led, plays a card of a different suit. It 
becomes an established revoke if the trick in 
which it occurs be turned and quitted (i. e. ; 
the hand removed from the trick after it has 
been turned face downward on the table) ; or 
if either the revoking player or his partner, 
whether in turn or otherwise, lead or play to 
the following trick. 

86. The penalty for each established revoke 
s'hall be: 

(a) When the declarant revokes, his adver- 
saries add 150 points to their score in the hon- 
or column in addition to any penalty which he 
may have incurred for not making good his 
declaration. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 83 



(b) If either of the adversaries revoke, the 
declarant may either add 150 points to his 
score in the honor column or may take three 
tricks from his opponents and add them to his 
own. Such tricks may assist the declarant to 
make good his contract, but shall not entitle 
him to score any bonus in the honor column, 
in the case of the declaration having been 
doubled or redoubled. 

(c) When more than one revoke is made 
during the play of the hand, the penalty for 
each revoke after the first shall be 100 points 
in the honor column. 

A revoking side cannot score except honors 
and chicane. 

87. A player may ask his partner if he have 
a card of the suit which he has renounced ; 
should the question be asked before the trick 
is turned and quitted, subsequent turning and 
quitting does not establish a revoke; and the 
error may be corrected unless the question be 
answered in the negative, or unless the revok- 
ing player c r his partner has led or played to 
the following trick. 

88. If a pla3^er correct his mistake in time 
to save a revoke, any player who has followed 
him may withdraw his card and substitute an- 
other, and the cards so withdrawn are not lia- 
ble to be called. If the pla3^er in fault be one 
of the declarant's adversaries, the card played 
in error is exposed, and the declarant may call 
it whenever he pleases, or he may require the 



84 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



oflfender to play his highest or lowest card of 
the suit to the trick. 

89. If the player in fault be the declarant, 
the eldest hand may require him to play the 
highest or lowest card of the suit in which he 
has renounced, provided both of the adversar- 
ies have played to- the current trick; but this 
penalty cannot be exacted from the declarant 
when he is fourth in hand, nor can it ever be 
enforced from dummy. 

90. At the end of a hand the claimants of 
a revoke may search all the tricks. If the 
card have been mixed the claim may be urged, 
and if possible proven; but no proof is neces- 
sary and the claim is established if, after it has 
been made, the accused player or his partner 
mix the cards before they have been suffi- 
ciently examined by the adversaries. 

91. A revoke must be claimed before the 
cards have been cut for the following deal. 

92. Should both sides revoke, the only 
score permitted shall be for honors or chicane. 
If one side revoke more than once, the penalty 
of 100 points for each extra revoke shall then 
be scored by the other side. 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 85 



GENERAL RULES. 

93. Tliere must not be any consultation be- 
tween partners as tO' the enforcement of penal- 
ties. If they do so consult the penalty is paid. 

94. Once a trick is complete, turned, and 
quitted, it must not be looked at (except under 
law 84) until the end of the hand. 

95. Any player during the play of a trick or 
after the four cards are played, and befoje they 
are touched for the purpose of gathering them 
together, may demand that the cards be placed 
before their respective pdayers. 

96. If either of the declarant's adversaries, 
prior to his partner's playing, call attention to 
the trick, either by saying it is his, or by nam- 
ing his card or drawing it toward him without 
being requested so to do, the declarafit may 
require such partner to play his highest or 
lowest card of the suit led, or to win or lose the 
trick. 

97. Either of the declarant's adversaries 
may call his partner's attention to the fact 
that he is about to plav or lead out of turn, 
but if, during the play of a hand, he make any 
unauthorized reference to any incident of the 
play, or to any bid previously made, the declar- 
ant may call a suit from the adversary whose 
turn it is next to lead. 

98. In all cases where a penalty has been 
incurred the offender is bound to give reason- 
able time for the decision of his adversaries; 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



but if a wrong penalty be demanded none can 
be enforced. 

99. Where the declarant or his partner has 
incurred a penalty ;, one of his adversaries may 
3ay: ^'Partner, will you exact the penalty or 
shalil I?" But whether this is said or not, if 
either adversary name the penalty, his decision 
is final. 

NEW CARDS. 

100. Unless a pack be imperfect, no player 
shall have the right tO' call for one new pack. 
If fresh cards be demanded, two packs must 
be furnished. If they be produced during a 
rubber, the adversaries shall have the choice of 
the new cards. If it be the beginning of a new 
rubber, the dealer, whether he or one of his 
adversaries be the party cailling for the new 
cards shall have the choice. New cards must 
be called for before the pack is cut for a new 
deal. 

101. A card or cards torn or marked must 
be replaced by agreement or new cards furn- 
ished. 

BYSTANDERS. 

10i2. While a bystander, by agreement 
among the players, may decide any question, he 
must on no account say anything unless ap- 
pealed to; and if he make any remark which 
calls attention to an oversight affecting the 
gcore, or to the exaction of a penalty, he is lia- 
ble to be called upon by the players to pay the 
f^tak.es (not extras) lost, 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 87 



ETIQUETTE OF AUCTION BRIDGE. 

A code is compiled for the purpose of suc- 
cinctly stating laws and for fixing penalties 
for an offense. To offend against a rule of eti- 
quette is far more serious than to ofifend 
against a law ; for while in the latter case the 
offender is subject to the prescribed penalties, 
in the former his adversaries have no redress 
except, perhaps, a refusal to continue the play. 

1. Declarations should be made in a simple 
manner, thus : ''one heart,'' "one no-trump," 
"no," "no more," or "I pass" or "I double." 

2. Aside from \his legitimate declarations, a 
player should not give any indication by look, 
word or gesture as to the nature of his hand or 
as to his pleasure or displeasure at a play, a 
bid or a double. Therefore, mannerisms can- 
not bd too carefully avoided. 

3. Cultivate uniformity ; let there be no re- 
markable haste or hesitation in bidding or 
passing; try always to use the same formula 
of words, and do not call attention to the score 
after the cards have been dealt. 

4. If a player demand that the cards be 
placed, he should do so for his own informa- 
tion and not to call his partner's attention to 
any card or play. 

5. No player, other than the declarant, 
should lead until the preceding trick is turned 
and quitted, nor, after having led a winning 
card, should he draw another from his hand 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 



before his partner has played to the curremt 
trick. 

6. A player should not play a card with 
such emphasis as to draw attention to if, nor 
should he detach one card from his hand and 
subsequently play another. 

7. A player should not purposely incur a 
penalty because he is willing- to pay it, nor 
should he make a second revoke tO' conceal a 
first. 

8. Players should avoid discussion and re- 
frain from talking during the play, as it may be 
annoying to the players at the table or to those 
at other tables in the room. 

9. The dummy should not leave his seat for 
the purpose of watching his partner's play ; 
neither should he call attention to the score nor 
to any card or cards that he or the other play- 
ers hold, nor to any bid previously made. 

10. If the declarant say, "I have the rest," 
OT any words indicating the remaining tricks 
are his, and one or both of the other players 
should expose his or their cards, or request the 
declarant to play out the ihand, he should not 
allow any information so obtained ito influence 
his play nor take any finesse not announced by 
him at the time of making such claim, unless it 
had been previously proved to- be a winner. 

11. It is often difficult to refrain from 
showing pleasure at the accomplishment of a 
desired purpose, but undue elation is most 
aggravating to the adversaries. 

12. Do not make a dig at the adversaries 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 89 



by confiding to your partner that your success 
was due to an ill-judged play of the opponent. 

13. It is not good form to complain of poor 
cards, as you imply that the adversaries profit 
by your weak hands and not by their skill. 

14. The better players rarely criticise un- 
less asked to do so; it is usually the inexperi- 
enced player who offers an astonishing amount 
of gratui(tous and unsought for advice. 

15. Do not tell your partner, after seeing all 
the cards, wOiat he should have done, but 
think what you would have done in your part- 
ner's place. Do not criticise at all, but if you 
must, criticise fairly. 

THREE HANDED BRIDGE. 

The laws of three handed auction bridge are 
the same as those of auction bridge, except as 
varied by the following: 

1. The game is played by three players, all 
against all, the table being complete with four 
players. 

2. The player who cuts the lowest card 
has the first deal ; the player cutting the/ next 
lowest card sits on the dealer's left and the re- 
maining player O'U the dealer's right. The cards 
are dealt as at auction bridge, but the cards 
dealt to dummy are not taken up until after 
the final declaration has been made. If whilst 
dealing, a card be exposed, there must be a 
new deal. 

3. The dealer makes his declaration, and 



90 AUCTION BRIDGE. 



the bidding continues as at auction bridge, ex- 
cept that the players sitting opposite each other 
are not partners and their' declarations are on 
their own account. There shall be no new 
deal on account of a player making a declara- 
tion out of turn, but the player so' offending 
shall forfeit fifty points to each of the players, 
tlhe right to declare remaining with the player 
whose turn it was to make a declaration. The 
player making the final declaration (i. e. ; the 
declaration that has been passed by the other 
two players) plays his own hand and that of 
dummy against the other two players, who 
then, and for that particular hand, become 
partners. If one of the players happen to 
be sitting opposite the declarant, he must 
move into the vacant seat at the table, thereby 
facing the player who becomes his partner for 
that hand. 

4. If, after the deal has been completed and 
before a card is led, any player expose a card 
from his hand, he shall forfeit 100 points to 
each of the other players; and the declarant — 
if he be not the oflfender — may call upon the 
eldest hand not to lead from the suit of the ex- 
posed card. If he does not exercise this right, 
the card must be left on the table as an exposed 
card. If the card be exposed by the declarant 
after the final declaration has been made, there 
is nO' penalty. 

5. If a player double out of turn, he forfeits 
100 points to each of his adversaries, and the 
player whose declaration has! been so doubled 



AUCTION BRIDGE. 91 



shall have the right to say whether or not the 
double shall 'stand. The bidding is then re- 
sumed, but if the double has been disallowed 
the said declaration cannot be doubled by the 
player on the right of the offender. 

6. The rubber consists of four games ; but 
when two games have been won by the same 
player the other or others are not played. 

7. When the declarant makes good his dec- 
laration ihe scores as at auction bridge, except 
with regard to honors, which are scored by 
each player severally — i. e. ; each player who 
has one honor in spades scores two; each play- 
er having two honors in spades scores four; a 
player holding three honors in spades scores 
six; a player holding four honors in spades 
scores sixteen ; and a player holding five hon- 
ors in spades scores twenty, and similarly for 
the other suits. In a no trump declaration aces 
count ten each ; and if all four be held by one 
player, 100. 

9. One hundred points are scored by each 
player for every game he wins, and the win- 
ner of the rubber adds a further 250 points to 
his score. 

10. At the conclusion of the rubber the to- 
tal scores obtained by each player are added 
up separately, and each player wins from, or 
loses to, each player the difiference between his 
score and that of the said other player. 



INDEX. 

Page 

Introduction 3 

Bid of one spade 7 

Bid of two spades 9 

Bid of one club 10-40 

Bid of two clubs 12 

Bid of one diamond 13 

Bid of two diamonds 14 

Bid of one heart ^. ...> 15 

Bid of two hearts • 16 

Bid of no-trump 17 

Second bidder 20 

Third bidder ^ 22 

Fourth bidder 24 

Subsequent bidding 26 

Doubling 28 

Leading to partner's declared suit 32 

Opening leads 34 

Discard 35 

Rule of eleven 36 

Reverse or Echo *. 37 

Finessing 38 

Illustrative deals 40 to 63 

When it is your partner's move 42 

Not bidding a red suit on first round. ^^ 44 



INDEX. 

Page 

Showing assistance for partner's no trump. 46 

How to use bids of two in black 48 

Bidding to show an established suit..; 50 

Bidding full strength of the hand .52 

When to abandon 100 aces 54 

When unable to stop adversary's suit 56 

Bidding with insufficient strength 58 

Good partnership bidding 60 

Guessing between two red suits 62 

General reriiarks 64 

Coups 64 

Bidding against poor players 64 

Laws ....66 

Etiquette 87 

Three handed auction 89 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



OCT ft 1911 



